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Are belly button rings and belly button piercings a new thing or are they an ancient tribal custom? Well given the weird and wonderful range of body adornments I've seen among tribal people, I was surprised to learn that whilst they were definitely around, belly button piercing was not quite so common back then.

It's acknowledged that Latin American warriors wore belly button rings, as did ancient Egyptians. In these cultures it was not so much an adornment, but a symbol of achievement, or standing in the community. In Egypt, only the Pharoahs (Egyptian Gods) were allowed belly button rings, anyone else found to wear one was rewarded with a death sentence!

Having a belly button ring has really only become popular (and widely accepted) in the last number of decades (and particularly so in the last ten years).

If you think of Western women in the 1940's, do you think there was an abundance of skin being flashed around by women? (in public anyway!). Not really. It wasn't really socially acceptable. Whilst elegant and clasically dressed - self expression by women through their clothing and adornment was fairly traditional.

Even on the silver screen in Hollywood - do you think they were worried about sex scenes? Women weren't even allowed to bare their belly buttons!!

Of course - as movie makers have been known to do, they bent the rules a little ... to get around this restriction, they came up with the idea of casting Middle Eastern belly dancers, and adorned their bellies with belly button rings (in fact just a jewel in their belly button at that stage).

That is where the widespread association came between Middle Eastern belly dancers and belly button rings! They were in fact previously never associated. It was the Hollywood movie industry that made that connection, and now, belly dancers choose belly button rings all the time, as it is a perfect complement to their beautiful bellies and stunning outfits.

So even though it was on the big screen, belly button rings had a way to go before they'd be mainstream accepted. Women needed to be able to bare their bodies (or at least some of it) in public without attracting disapproving stares!! The bikini in 1953 did a massive amount towards liberating women's bodies... and the trend continued, until some high profile women popularised the belly button ring in the 1980's.

Christy Turlington strutted her belly button ring down a catwalk in London. Next thing you know... Naomi Campbell had one, and hot on her heels, Madonna!

Everywhere you look these days celebrities, friends, Mums, men even! ... are wearing belly button rings and enjoying showing off their beautiful bellies!